billboard said...

At the moment there are also quite a few s/h Lahui Kai 12.6 and 14.0 boards getting about for under a grand so they are definately worth a try as well. I just bought a 12.6 Lahui and they are great fun, reasonably stable and pretty quick in both the flat and open water. I don't know what they are like in downwind conditions as I have no interest in it but for fitness paddling and covering big distances quickly they rock. The other big thing I like is that they are sooooo light to carry and load - even lighter than my 9ft surfsup. These cruiser/race boards are damn expensive so make sure that you try as many as you can before you commit to buying and be really sure what you wanna do with it because it seems that these type of boards are becoming very specific in what they are most suited for. I also predict that over the next 6 months that there will be huge amounts of these type of boards around second hand due to the influx of new brands and models and people dropping down from their 14s to 12.6s for b.o.p style racing - so if you are patient you may well pick yourself up a very cheap board in the not too distant future.

Also - dont forget to factor into your budget that you are probably gunna have to fork out another $400ish for a longer paddle when you get your new race board.

Ali Cat said...

Hi BoardGirl,

Sticking to a 12'6" board will probably be you're best bet for an allround race board for flatwater paddling, amateur class racing and having a go at downwinders. Yes, some 14ft boards will be better for downwind paddling, but a 12'6" can still do the job, and will probably be more suited to getting into racing.

While some race events do have a 14ft class, races here in Aus (especially in the womens division) aren't yet big enough to always offer each race class and 12'6" seems to be the most popular and fastest growing so most events will cater for this size (especially BOP style surf races). On a 14ft board you are more likely to end up in an open class against 16-17ft boards with rudders, which will have a big advantage on a 14'er if there's a side wind or chop.

For you're weight, I think you're original choice of the 12'6 Fanatic (30.5" wide version) is pretty much spot on. I recently won the wood version and it's super stable, glides well and surfs pretty good too. The 30.5" carbon board is slightly lighter (but not a lot) so really depends whether you want to spend the extra $ or not. If you're planning on winning races then the weight difference can be important but for the aims you've listed, the wood version would probably do fine.

The new red Fanatic 12'6" is super quick and the carbon version is a lot lighter, but at 27.75" wide you may find it a little unstable, especially if you're just getting started on downwinders.

I've also got a LahuiKai 12'6", it's a recent model lightweight hand shaped version with a square tailed for increased stability and although it's miles better than the hollow version someone else has mentioned, I still find that the Fanatic is a much better all around board. You might be able to get one cheaper, but I don't think it will be the best board for you (I could get on here and try to sell you mine, but would prefer you have a board that's better for you).

Yes the Fanatic weigh's a bit more, but it's stronger, sooo much more stable, surfs better and for a heavier weight person (i'm 85kg) also glides better and more smoothly in the flatwater, which all makes paddling a lot more enjoyable.

Another option to consider would be the new SIC 12'6", which is also a great all round board and one of the better 12'6"ers for downwind paddling.


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i agree with ali, the fanatic 12'6 is a great board to start with and is still very competitive. noel was just behind the custom 12'6s in a flatwater race meet recently. so it's stable, pretty fast and most paddlers of all types who ride customs etc generally like the fanatic too. i hear they've had a lot of success dw ing around sydney.

seeing as this board would be a reasonably long term item- go the carbon model
cheers